


Honeymoon Hike

by glitteredsins, jennandanica



Series: Citadel: Antony Starr and Stephen Amell [92]
Category: Actor RPF, Arrow (TV 2012) RPF, Banshee (TV) RPF, Citadel (Journalfen RPG), New Zealand Actor RPF
Genre: M/M
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2018-03-26
Updated: 2018-03-26
Packaged: 2019-04-08 14:01:56
Rating: Explicit
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 3,378
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/14106936
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/glitteredsins/pseuds/glitteredsins, https://archiveofourown.org/users/jennandanica/pseuds/jennandanica





	Honeymoon Hike

  
**Players only.**  
**Backdated to:** December 2013  
**Warnings:** None. Stephen and Antony go hiking for the day, and discuss money, beach houses, humiliation whilst dodging around where Antony makes his money

It's a fucking beautiful day and they pretty much have the trail to themselves, a group having left about an hour before them and the next one not scheduled til an hour later. Stephen must be right. It must be the whole almost Christmas thing because Antony's never seen the trail this empty. "Beautiful, isn't it?" This part is gently rolling country, dotted with red tussocks and inaka, the level described as easy in the booklet they've been given.

"Yeah, and so fucking quiet," Stephen turns to look over at his lover, a smile curving his mouth. "That kinda jarring quiet, you know? I noticed it last night." He tugs his baseball cap down a little more - this time it's for protection against the sun, not his need to hide - and hikes his backpack up re-tightening the strap a little.

"You get used to all the noise in L.A.," Antony agrees, unhooking his water bottle from his pack and taking a drink before offering it to Stephen. "I've got jerky and trail mix beside the sandwiches so let me know if you get hungry."

"I'm good." They'd had a substantial breakfast before setting out. He does however take the bottle and tips it up to take a long drink. "One of the reasons I'd love a beach house, so I can wake up to the sound of the waves in the morning."

Antony nods. "I was thinking more about that," he says, because of course he was. He's always thinking about them, their life together, his work and his time away from it, with Stephen. "Since we have the plane we could look a little further than I said. Mexico, Hawaii. Maybe 5 hours away?"

"Hawaii?" Stephen's brows go up. "Wow, that'd be kinda cool," he recaps the bottle and hands it back. "I don't know, I don't know if I'd rather spend more of your obscenely enormous amount of money on something closer." It's a tease and a dig all rolled into one, teasing because it's what they've always done about Antony's money, and a dig because his lover had kept just how loaded he was from him until the morning of their wedding.

Antony laughs and pokes Stephen with the bottle. "I'm never going to live that down, am I?" He shakes his head, but his eyes are crinkling and it's obvious he doesn't mind being teased. "You want to talk about that at all?" he offers.

"Huh," Stephen huffs out a half laugh as he falls back in beside Antony as they move off. "Yeah, don't you? I mean, don't you think we should?"

"That's why I offered," Antony says, matching his stride to Stephen's. "What do you want to know?"

"It's not so much what do I want to know, as - practicalities. Really it's something we should have talked about a while ago, I contribute to the bills and the day to day stuff, but you do pay for most of what we do. And now I know what you have...yeah I'm not worth anything like that, I guess I'd just like to sit down and look at making sure we're both happy with how much I pay and what we're doing you know?" Though having given it a little thought Stephen's wages are peanuts to Antony's.

"We can do that," Antony says. "But it might be easier if you divide your money and just portion it to things, put something to long-term savings, some to shorter-term, then some for fun money and the rest to our bills?" He glances at Stephen. "The condo's owned outright so there's no mortgage and it'll be the same with the beach house. I'm happy to keep paying for all the big stuff."

Stephen thinks on that for a few minutes. "I'm going to sell my house, I've been thinking about it for a while, I'd like to put what I make from that into the beach house, I know it won't be much, but..." he trails off. "You understand yeah?"

"Yeah, I do," Antony nods, reaching out to give Stephen's hand a quick squeeze. "That would be great."

A bright smile is Antony's reward. "Thank you." He knew his husband would get it, even so, he's still trying to process this new information. "Hey least ways I could say I paid for, I don't know, the bathroom?" he jokes, bumping shoulders.

"It'll be a fucking gorgeous bathroom," Antony says, laughing. "Hey, I know you don't like to talk about this stuff, but the plane's in your name and the beach house will be in both. Condo's already joint and I changed my will and beneficiaries way back on everything else." He knows it's morbid and shitty timing, but really? When's good timing for this sort of talk?

He gives his new husband the side eye at that. "Yeah you said you were going to change your will...but everything else? And you do realise when we had that conversation I thought you were worth about 5% of your actual? It's all a bit of a head fuck if I'm honest, figures I never thought I'd have to get my brain around." His tone is dry, and amused, it's a hell of a situation to find yourself in.

"I know," Antony nods. "But I have a money guy. Anything happens, he'll take care of everything." He smiles at Stephen. "I've taken care of my family, they're good, and hopefully none of this is stuff we'll have to worry about for a really long time but I feel better knowing you're taken care of. And as far as the amount goes... it's legal. It wasn't all obtained legally, especially before I started up the company, I'm not going to lie to you about that, but it's legal now."

Another look, this one more considering than the last. "And the jobs you do now, the off the book ones?" This is a line they dance around reasonably frequently, and so far Stephen's navigated it with little discomfort.

Shit. Antony blows out a soft breath at that. "It's clean when it comes in the country," he says, every nerve on edge as he awaits Stephen's reaction.

"Why do you still take those jobs? You clearly don't need the money, is it the kick?" Stephen keeps his gaze firmly ahead of him, his tone reasonably light and even.

Antony thinks about that for a moment and then nods. "Mostly. I guess it's like hacking. Seeing what you can do. Solving the puzzle no one else can," he says, hoping Stephen can understand that. "And then there's my crew. Making sure they're set up right."

"Puzzle?" A quick look now, eyes narrowed. _Not security then..._. Stephen shrugs. "Yes, but you owe me your loyalty first now, right? To make sure you're safe that you don't get into trouble, either abroad or at home."

Antony nods. "I promise. I'll keep us safe," he swears, crossing his heart. "I'm already being more careful about which jobs I take, how many..."

"Don't you ever bring that shit to our door." The words surprise him, almost as much as the vehemence he puts into them, rubbing a hand over his mouth for a moment he shakes his head. "S'all I'm saying okay?"

Antony stops in his tracks, shocked still by the sudden outburst. "I've never brought it home before. I have even more reason not to do so now," he says quietly but firmly. Which might not be the whole truth, given the shit that's gone down with Stephen's phone and the fact they're needing security on their fucking honeymoon of all times, but it's close enough and he's still certain it's not going to touch them.

Stephen pulls up, half turning to where Antony's watching him. "It came close, that job that went wrong, it came close enough you wore a gun to my set," he points out. "I let that go, I trust you took care of it, but now....now I have all the things I ever dreamed about...don't you dare risk our future." He moves into Antony's space, sure they're alone, "You're _everything_ , do you understand?"

Antony nods, his chest so fucking tight it hurts. "I do and I swear - I will keep us safe."

He holds Antony's gaze for a moment then lightening quick Stephen's hand comes up to wrap around Antony's neck and pull him in, the kiss is brutal, hard, harsh and full of Stephen's desperation.

Antony leans into the kiss, hands grasping Stephen's hips. He groans, body reacting instinctively. "I promise," he whispers again, keeping Stephen close for a long moment.

Forehead to forehead Stephen takes a second to just breathe. "Good," he pulls back and nods. He takes a breath and shrugs out his shoulders. "Okay," this said almost to himself. "C'mon," he nods up the trail.

They walk in silence for a bit, side by side, Antony thinking on the promises he's made. He means every word, would go to hell and back again to protect Stephen, to protect what he has with him, but keeping his husband so sheltered from what he does, from what he really _is_... Christ. "We're coming up on the Devil's staircase," he says finally, nodding ahead, breaking the quiet.

"S'been easy so far," Stephen looks around and then up the trail where things clearly become more challenging. "I could do with stretching myself."

Antony grins. "This'll be a cakewalk compared to Nepal."

"I know that, which is why you're going to have to behave the days before we go out there. I need to be fully fit and undamaged." He offers his lover a smile. "Do you hear hmm?"

"Define behave," Antony says, _mostly_ teasing.

"I need to be fully fit and _undamaged_ ," Stephen repeats, his lips twitching with amusement.

"I guess that means no more beatings until we get home," Antony says, sighing like it's a true hardship.

"No, we're talking about Nepal, not here," Stephen rolls his eyes at Antony's teasing. "And let's be honest, once we hit Goa I'm assuming all bets are off huh?"

Antony grins. "Meaning I don't have to behave myself there?"

"Meaning it's a club resort and I'm sure this boy and his Sir will want to kick back." He winks at Antony, glad that they seem to have things back on track after that rather intense interlude.

Antony's grin widens. "Kick back. I like the sound of that," he says. "But between then and now, I have make sure you're in good working order?"

"Hey, you know what we have planned, you just need to make sure I can do them, unlike suggesting a 7 hour bike ride on a strapped and fucked ass." A pause then... "Hold on, what does 'kick back' mean to you?" Stephen's suddenly suspicious he's given his Sir permission or ideas.

Antony laughs. "Nothing nefarious," he says. "Or no more nefarious than usual." They're starting up the steepest part of the _staircase_ and he can feel the change in the altitude, subtle as it is.

"Which means fuck all," Stephen snorts, trudging on beside his lover, head up and taking it all in. It's all so fucking beautiful.

"You really want to know?" Antony says, breathing in the clean air. "Notice there's almost no vegetation up here."

"I'm not looking at the floor," Stephen waves a hand out indicating the mountains beyond. "And yeah...of course."

"It's still interesting," Antony protests, but he takes a long look at the mountains. "You want a picture?" Still not telling Stephen what he has planned.

" _That_ is waaaay more interesting than the floor," Stephen stops and nods. "Yeah, see if you can get a decent shot."

Antony pulls his phone out and takes a couple panoramic shots before looping his arm around Stephen's neck and taking a few more of them with the mountains in the background. "I was thinking I'd string you up," he says casually as he puts his phone back.

"Yeah?" Stephen nuzzles a quick kiss along Antony's jaw line. "Last time you did that I was out of action for a week," he points out, even so, the suggestion, the memory of their big scene has his heart kicking up a beat.

"I wasn't thinking of beating you," Antony says, smiling at the kiss. "I was thinking more along the lines of a really heavy humiliation scene."

_Fuck._ Stephen's breath actually catches in his throat, audibly so, and his dick is instantly rock hard. Humiliation is one of his cast iron kinks, one Antony seems to know how to use to maximum effect for them both. He swallows hard. "How heavy?" The words a little rough and low in tone.

" _Really_ heavy," Antony says, reaching out a hand to ruffle Stephen's already short hair. "Shave this, shave the rest of you, make that cut from our big scene permanent?"

Stephen's brain stutters to a halt for the space of a breath. "Shave? You want to shave my head?" He brings his own hand up to touch it, just like Antony had just done. On one hand he's all 'hell no, fuck off!' and on the other....the boy in him is already wondering how that would feel, to kneel and offer that up.

Antony nods. "It'd be really hot and you have plenty of time for it to grow in before you're back to work," he points out.

"And...um..." A small frown, as he tries to get his brain back in gear. "Would it be...role play, or you..." He raises his gaze to meet Antony's.

"Me, though I can ship some leather gear to the resort," Antony says, unclipping his water bottle again and offering it to Stephen. "Have it waiting."

The water is welcome, Stephen finding his throat is dry, the idea, the suggestion had been so unexpected, so out there....yeah he's a little bemused to say the least. "Yeah...leather, I think that's a leather thing," he nods, wiping his mouth on the back of his hand. "I'm kind of feeling that more, the need for leather when we do that kind of play," he lets the thought out without censoring it, knowing it's something Antony would like to know, even if now isn't the time to talk it over.

"Yeah?" Antony absorbs that with a nod, a small smile. It's not completely news. He knows they've been slowly heading that way more and more, starting with Stephen's iron-clad kink and then the stuff they'd picked up at Northbound Leather, the things they'd said on their wedding night.

"Yeah, can we talk about it later? Tonight maybe?" Now is not the time, it really wouldn't take much to push Stephen over into some kind of head space.

"Of course," Antony says, taking the bottle back when Stephen's done. He takes a good long drink then checks the map, making sure they're still headed in the right direction. There are a few trails branching out as they go and the last thing he wants to do is end up with them off the main one. He glances back at Stephen. "I'm happy to talk about it whenever we're both feeling up to it," he adds. "We also wanted to look at beach houses. Get an idea of what was out there."

Another nod, "I'm good to talk either over tonight." Because it's all planning, for their future - wonderful things to look forward to - together.

Water and maps put away, they keep hiking for another hour, noting the various lava flows along the way, one particularly dark line the smallest one flow to come out of the Red Crater in the last 1800 years old. Antony points out the route to the summit of Mount Tongariro branching off from the main track but they stay on the narrow rim of the crater as planned. "I can't believe we still haven't seen anyone," he says, at that very moment noting a small moving cluster way across the rim from them. "Shit. Apparently I jinxed us." But the group's far enough ahead it doesn't really matter.

"Hey, it's not like we're about to get naked and have hot monkey sex," Stephen laughs, amused at Antony's desire for them to be totally alone for as long as possible. "Anyone would think you want to keep me all to yourself."

"Could anyone blame me? I'm on my honeymoon with my husband, the most gorgeous man in the world," Antony says with a grin.

It still keeps catching Stephen out, those little mental double takes at 'honeymoon' and 'husband'. His belly flutters pleasantly at the compliment. "Hmmm, seems to me that the husband wants to keep me all to himself, when the Sir is often amused to show off his boy..." he points out with a wink.

Antony starts to point out that if he could hold Stephen's hand in public, he'd be happy to show him off, but that's just going to lead them into the same shitty conversation and Stephen feeling bad. Instead he just laughs and leans in, pressing a quick kiss to Stephen's jaw because he can. Here. With no one else around them. "You hungry yet?"

"I'm always hungry." The retort is swift and accompanied by laughter. "You know this about me."

Antony laughs. "You can have some jerky now or we can wait until we get to the lookout over the lakes and have our sandwiches," he offers.

"Jerky, not so much my thing," Stephen shakes his head, "I can wait."

"Hey, it's the good stuff," Antony says, pulling a piece out for himself. "I have trail mix, if you want that."

"No, I'm good, honestly." He looks around though, before bringing his attention back to Antony. "I could do with a piss though."

"Right off the edge," Antony says, gesturing over the side of the rim. "Just don't step down or anything. The rocks are really loose."

"Okay," Stepping away Stephen makes note which way the winds blowing in before popping his fly and getting his dick out, moments later he's cursing as he gets piss all over his hand. "Fucking...fuck!"

"Here," Antony says, trying not to laugh as he pulls out a package of wipes and offers them to his husband.

"Didn't fucking think did I, you and your fucking ring in my dick," Stephen grouses as he swipes the packet from Antony, "You turned me into a sprinkler." He can't help it now, his frown turning into laughter as he pats himself down with wipes. "Bastard."

Antony cracks up. "Sorry," one hand put up to protect himself. "I didn't even think, with the hiking. We'll have to figure something out before Nepal."

"Like what? A diaper?" He cocks a brow at his husband. "I'm just gonna have to figure out how, apparently it's easier when you stretch it up a little." He dips his chin to look down at his crotch, "Great, just look at that."

"It'll dry," Antony assures him. "And yeah, I've heard if you twist it around so the ring's on the top, it works better."

"I'll be sure to get some practise in," Stephen snorts, handing back the packet of wipes. "We didn't think that through too much huh? Or did you and you decided 'fuck it'?"

"You mean with the hiking or overall?" Antony asks, rearranging his backpack.

"I mean the whole guy thing of being able to piss wherever we like." Something he's clearly taken for granted up until now.

Antony hikes his bag back over his shoulders. "I knew, but I thought you knew too, so no, I didn't exactly say fuck it. I just assumed we both knew and you were okay with it."

"Huh, so it's my own fault?" Stephen rolls his eyes and falls back in beside Antony. "I knew it would take some practise, but it's been proving more tricky than I assumed." He shrugs. "As long as you're happy with it, that's all that matters."

Antony grins. "I love it."

Another laugh. "I figured."

 


End file.
